


Coffee and Courtship

by sorbriquette



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Courtship, Getting Together, M/M, Oblivious Hubert von Vestra, Post-Canon, Two Shot, but hopefully not like cringe inducing, it's just Edelgard really, semi-public declarations of love, tea time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:42:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26298100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorbriquette/pseuds/sorbriquette
Summary: In which Ferdinand asks Hubert's advice on beginning a courtship, Hubert begrudgingly gives some and Ferdinand actually takes it.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 20
Kudos: 201





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wowwee I looked up some videos because I was looking at the way I was writing Ferdie like "surely he is not that bad" but he was actually worse and this fic went up by 100 words because of how much he loves the sound of his own voice. So hopefully I got it right in the end.
> 
> Also I'm not abandoning the Marianne/Hilda one, it's coming. Marianne is just so angsty it's exhausting to write sometimes.

“Hubert?” Ferdinand drew the Imperial Spymaster’s gaze away from his paperwork. Though their tea times were supposed to be a break, Hubert almost always brought his paperwork along. 

Some would perhaps consider it rude to bring work to a social event. Ferdinand did. He used to mention it often.

But Hubert had never really tried to avoid rudeness and after the dozenth or so time, Ferdinand stopped caring. 

“What is it?” Hubert looked up, remembering the cup of coffee in front of him and reached for it. 

More often than not the cups he kept on his desk went cold until he found fatigue creeping back into him. At that point it didn’t matter if it was cold or not. So that was one perk of their tea times, Ferdinand rarely let him work long enough to spoil his drink. 

“If I may ask, have you ever thought about courtship?”

Hubert nearly choked on his coffee. 

Ferdinand who had taken to looking out at the sky, snapped his attention back to Hubert at the cough. Concern quickly faded into amusement as he saw Hubert place his cup back down none too gently, coffee spilling over the rim and trailing down the outside of the cup.

“No, I have not” Hubert did his best to keep his voice level, despite the shock, “I don’t see how that would be a worthwhile use of my time.” 

Ferdinand’s smile faded some at that, “truly? The war is over, now is as good a time as any to be getting on with life.”

Hubert’s glare started in earnest at that, “I fail to see how courtship is necessary for ‘getting on with life’.”

“It isn’t, of course,” Ferdinand’s frown returned as he corrected himself, “not if you don’t want a courtship.” He paused, seeming to wait for a response as he sipped at his tea. Hubert was not known to be particularly merciful though, so he did not respond and simply waited for Ferdinand to relent. Which he did. “Do you want one though?”

Another moment passed between them and Ferdinand sat back in his chair, apparently content to wait however long was necessary for a response this time.

Eventually Hubert sighed and took his turn to concede, “what I want is irrelevant.”

“So you do want one then?”

“That is not what I said.” The glare Hubert was giving Ferdinand now might have scared him in his younger years, now he just found it amusing. Particularly with the pale flush slowly starting across his cheeks. 

“You also did not deny it,” Ferdinand pressed on before he could be interrupted, “and we both know you would have were it not true.”

“I do not want a courtship,” Hubert said slowly, like Ferdinand was stupid. 

Maybe Ferdinand was stupid, because he knew what Hubert was capable of, he knew he was dangerous, but still Ferdinand smiled and taunted. “I thought you a better liar than this, Hubert. Your hesitation betrays you.”

Hubert strongly considered throwing the remainder of his tea across the table at the noble. That or one of the knives in his sleeve. 

“It does not matter what you believe,” Hubert dismissed him, though he looked back to his paper work to feign disinterest, “nor does it matter what I want. All that matters is the good of the Empire.”

“The Empire is not going to fall to ruin if someone buys you flowers.” Ferdinand’s words were accompanied by the gentle sounds of Hubert’s coffee being topped up. “I believe you are more than capable of managing your work, regardless of what else you choose to pursue. It would hardly pose as a distraction and if it were you would handle it.”

And yet Ferdinand pulled Hubert from his work so easily, all but disproving his own point as Hubert put his papers back down. 

“It is not about distractions,” he took a sip of his refilled coffee and Ferdinand took his turn to simply wait for him to continue. “As members of Lady Edelgard’s cabinet, we are particularly well suited for political marriages, should the need arise.”

Ferdinand had always been particularly expressive, but Hubert took a few moments to pinpoint the exact expression on his face. Sadness? Disappointment? Pity?

Pity. 

Hubert almost physically recoiled. 

“Surely Edelgard would not expect such a thing from us?”

Hubert scoffed, “She would not expect you to agree to one, certainly. All the more reason for me to remain available.”

“To be bartered?” Ferdinand asked incredulously, but at least his outrage was less unsettling than his pity, “Edelgard is your friend, she would not make you deny yourself over mere politics.”

“The Emperor does not have to make me do anything.”

“Of course, how could I forget how readily you-” Ferdinand cut short a rant that was all too reminiscent of their school days. Staring into his teacup like it could somehow tell him what to say, he took a deep breath. 

Silence seemed to stretch between them for a few moments. 

Had he finished his tirade, Hubert would have replied in kind. Now he wasn’t sure what to say.

“Hubert, my friend,” Ferdinand said the words slowly, seemingly testing to see if he was even worthy of still saying them, “I apologise, I did not mean that.”

“You did not actually say anything,” Hubert reminded him.

Ferdinand offered him a small smile, so contrary to how emotive he usually was. “And yet we both know what I was going to say. I can only hope we both also know I didn’t mean it.”

Hubert did know what he was going to say. He wasn’t quite sure he believed that Ferdinand didn’t mean it. Hubert wasn’t entirely unconvinced of the criticism himself, but still he nodded. “Why are you even asking me such questions?” He asked in an attempt to steer the conversation away from argument.

They did still argue, or bicker, as Edelgard put it, but it was usually less personal now. 

Ferdinand sighed and brushed ran a hand through his hair, brushing some strands out of his face and back behind his shoulder. Hubert paid perhaps a little too much attention to the motion. 

“I was considering starting a courtship myself,” if anything, Ferdinand’s mood seemed to deteriorate further as he spoke, “but now I see that perhaps that is not the best idea.”

Hubert felt his stomach drop. 

The latter statement did nothing to fix it. The idea that Hubert had swayed Ferdinand away from pursuing another might have contented him some had Ferdinand’s own disappointment not brought him so much guilt. 

Guilt was not an emotion he was overly experienced in, he had always managed to suppress it well. But Ferdinand had a way of making it harder to smother his emotions.

“As I said, no one expects a political marriage from you,” he told Ferdinand, trying to stay calm and measured, trying not to over correct. 

Ferdinand seemed to think this over through sips of his tea, putting it down and refocusing on Hubert after a few moments. “If I am to be entirely honest, I had asked your plans in the hopes of figuring out how to begin my own. Though I know you are not terribly well versed in matters of the heart, I thought you could perhaps offer some insight.” He licked his lips for a moment, hesitating, before continuing, “And though I do not enjoy admitting it it, I think you are right in your reasoning. It would be ignoble of me to put my wants before the good of the Empire.”

And Hubert couldn’t even find it in him to gloat about being right with how downcast Ferdinand’s gaze was right now. 

So he swallowed the lump in his throat along with his pride and tried to help. “If I were going to court someone, I would obviously first ask Lady Edelgard’s permission,” he confessed.

“Before even talking to the other person? How would you know if they are even interested?” Ferdinand seemed shocked and a little confused, no doubt that would later give way to some mockery. But at least he didn’t seem so upset anymore. 

“Their interest is secondary to the Emperor’s approval.”

“Of course,” Ferdinand gave the smallest huff of amusement, but his smile seemed less teasing and more… fond?

Hubert elected not to examine that too closely, “Should Lady Edelgard approve, I would then seek the person out and simply explain the situation to them.”

Ferdinand interjected again, “that is very romantic of you, Hubert.” This time he was teasing. 

Hubert pursed his lips and picked up his coffee in an attempt to hide behind it, muttering “yet another reason I shall settle for a political marriage,” before he took a sip.

And it seemed the pity was back. 

“But you do not want one?” Ferdinand more told him than asked, “were Edelgard to approve a courtship for you, would you accept one then?”

“She will not have one to approve, because I will not ask for one.”

“If someone asked her to allow them to court you then?” Ferdinand pressed, apparently adamant that they see this conversation through.

Hubert frowned knowing full well this was only going to make Ferdinand more insufferable, “no one would.”

Ferdinand’s expression grew somehow softer and sadder. Insufferable. 

“But if someone did?”

Apparently Ferdinand was not going to drop this, and Hubert had learnt from many a stable duty with him, that sometimes it was better to simply give in. 

“I suppose,” he admitted with a sigh, “if Lady Edelgard approved. Though it would depend on who it was.”

Really though, given the only person he would have said yes to was currently asking his advice on how to court another.

Ferdinand’s smile seemed to return at that.

Hubert tried to once again hide his flush behind his coffee cup but found it empty, Ferdinand already reaching for the pot to refill it. 

“That is all I have to offer,” Hubert attempted to finish, hopefully returning the conversation to safer waters, or simply returning to his paperwork, “though I doubt you gained any insight from that.”

“It is unlike you to doubt your own advice, Hubert.” Ferdinand gave a soft laugh as he refilled Hubert’s cup. “You have provided me with far more insight than you can possibly imagine.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not entirely happy w/ this but ceebs editing anymore so o well. 
> 
> Thanks everyone for you comments last chapter, yall are so sweet <3

Edelgard’s throne room was mostly empty at this point. It had been several hours of petitions and now only the Emperor herself, Hubert, and the few guards stationed about remained. 

Hubert did not enjoy the days on which Emperor Edelgard took petitions. A bunch of fools came to waste his Lady’s time on matters that could easily be sorted out by themselves. Who stole who’s cow? Disgraced nobles come to beg forgiveness and reinstatement. The occasional peddler trying to sell her something she didn’t need. 

For at least a few moments, no one else walked through the door and Hubert thought perhaps they were done for the day. 

“Lady Edelgard, shall we retire? You’ve endured more than enough fools for the day.”

Edelgard’s lip quirked up ever so slightly even as she was sure to warn him against referring to her subjects that way.

Hubert was saved from that particular issue by the sound of the doors to the throne room swinging open. 

He did nothing to hide his huff of annoyance at whomever had intruded now. 

All Edelgard had to do was three taps on the arm of her throne and he would send the person away. 

But the taps didn’t come and when he looked to the floor before the throne he was surprised to see Ferdinand standing there.

“Do not tell me there’s another throng waiting outside,” Hubert pursed his lips as he looked at Ferdinand. He got an easy smile in return. 

Ferdinand shook his head, “there’s but one more petition for you to hear, Edelgard.” 

Hubert did not like it that Ferdinand addressed the Emperor so casually in what was supposed to be a formal setting. Honestly he didn’t like that he addressed her so casually at all, but that could not be helped. 

“If you have something to ask of me Prime Minster, you do not have to wait for this kind of forum,” Edelgard said but gestured for Ferdinand to continue. 

Hubert’s blood ran cold.

Surely Ferdinand was not doing this now. They’d only discussed his potential courtship yesterday. 

And apparently Ferdinand was taking his advice and asking Lady Edelgard.

Was this why Ferdinand had chosen to do it as a petition? So Hubert was here? To show he was taking his advice?

Advice Hubert now wished he hadn’t given. He’d not expected to face the consequences so quickly or so closely. 

He actually felt a little nauseas. 

But it was too late to stop it now. Ferdinand was here and he was asking Edelgard as Hubert had said he himself would. To try and stop it now would expose him more than he would like.

“Ah, and yet, somehow it seemed the best option,” Ferdinand offered Hubert a small smile. So this was his doing. Great. “I’m seeking permission to begin a courtship.”

“So this is a public declaration of love, is it?” Edelgard sounded amused. Hubert was anything but. 

That seemed to catch Ferdinand by surprise too for he turned a shade not dissimilar to his hair. “I- I suppose it is,” he stumbles for a second, “though that was not quite what I had intended.”

“And why do you think you need my permission to court someone?”

Ferdinand’s confident smile returned, “seeking your approval was a recommendation and one that seemed appropriate to heed, given the circumstances.”

For all his confidence, Ferdinand was still flushed in a way that Hubert might have enjoyed in any other situation. He seemed more nervous than usual, wetting his lips more frequently, swallowing whenever Edelgard spoke or Hubert caught his eye.

Though Hubert was doing his very best not to catch Ferdinand’s eye.

“And what circumstances would those be?” Edelgard asked, casting a sidelong glance at Hubert, no doubt having already puzzled out who’s recommendation this was.

“If members of your cabinet are to be distracted by such things, you should be made aware of it,” Ferdinand explained with forethought for the Empire Hubert hadn’t thought him capable of. “Though your approval is also necessary before the object of my affections would even hear of such things.”

Ah, that sounded more like Ferdinand. Though given how they’d disagreed over the order in which to seek approval, this seemed odd. Maybe Ferdinand had taken Hubert’s advice more to heart than he should have. 

That usually would have made him smug. Right now it just irritated him. 

Perhaps it was all the hours of petitions, or simply just the emptiness of the room, but Edelgard appeared to have mostly disregarded formalities. She waved a dismissive hand, “Ferdinand, I’m sure we can manage with one slightly distracted minister.”

“It would be two ministers, Edelgard.”

It was a curt correction that Hubert might’ve scolded Ferdinand for were he not too busy going through a list of the remaining ministers. Some of them had been kept from Lady Edelgard’s father’s reign, though not many. In honesty Hubert knew only what he needed of the other ministers, blackmail material, loyalties and weaknesses. He’d thought Ferdinand had known even less. Apparently he’d been wrong about that. 

Edelgard seemed to consider this a for a moment before apparently something clicked. Something that wasn’t clicking for Hubert. 

“Ah,” she said quietly to herself a small smile forming on her lips as she turned to Hubert, “And what are your thoughts on all this?”

This was far outside his area of expertise, and Lady Edelgard sometimes didn’t even listen to him when it was within his areas. So why ask his opinion on this?

“Respectfully, I think he is asking you, I don’t know how much value I can be of here.” It was always better to simply admit to not knowing the answers, particularly when Ferdinand’s own future hung in the balance. 

“Ah, perhaps I should just-” Ferdinand made to retreat but Edelgard held up a hand and he stilled. 

Hubert was about ready to snap at him for wasting Edelgard’s time with questions he apparently wasn’t willing to wait for answers to, but Edelgard wasn’t looking at Ferdinand. 

“Hubert,” she said slowly, “I am not going to give him permission to court you if you do not want me to.” she huffed out a small sigh, a gesture she would never do amoung company other than her old classmates. “I understand your dedication to the Empire and I appreciate it, but you are more than capable of making this decision for yourself.”

Hubert felt is face flush so violently he wished he could hide it, but he doubted he could move enough to even bring a hand to his cheek. 

“That is why you told him to ask me, isn’t it?” Edelgard asked, brow furrowing as some of her earlier confidence seemed to fade. 

Hubert swallowed slowly, “he is not talking about me?” He’d meant it as a statement, but it came out as a question. 

Edelgard’s frown shifted quickly into a smile and she brought a gloved hand up to try and hide it as she looked back to Ferdinand. 

Hubert waited a beat, collecting himself for that particularly cruel attempt at getting his hopes up. Eventually he followed her gaze to Ferdinand.

And Ferdinand was looking bad at him. Not at the Emperor he’d come to petition.

It was perhaps a good thing because if Ferdinand had been looking at Edelgard like that Hubert would no doubt have chastised him for it. For more than one reason. 

One should not look at the Emperor with such open affection. 

One should definitely not look at her vassal that way either. 

“And who else could I possibly be talking about, Hubert?”

Usually not one to be stunned into silence, Hubert was not sure how to respond.

This was surely a joke. Ferdinand von Aegir, of all people, did not want Hubert. They’d simply tolerated each other for far longer than they’d liked each other, and before that despised each other for even longer than that. 

Hubert tried to be objective in his examination of all things, he and Ferdinand had even discussed as much the first time Hubert had complimented him.

So he did not misinterpret the racing of his heart when he spoke to Ferdinand, or how much of his thoughts the noble occupied, or how the one thing that could pry him from his desk, no matter how much there was to do, was their tea times. 

No he knew of his own affections for Ferdinand. He just did not know how to deal with them. And he certainly did not know what to do with them being reciprocated. 

He looked to Edelgard for guidance and found her gathering her skirts as she stood. 

She gave him a encouraging smile and took a step closer, “if you do require my blessing, you have it, but to pursue whatever path you want.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a small squeeze, a gesture of comfort that was not foreign between them but was certainly not frequent. “I think you can manage this last petition for the day.”

“Lady Edelgard,” he went to object but she shook her head.

“I trust you more than anyone, Hubert, you need to trust yourself too, especially with this. Whatever decision you make will be the right one.” She offered him another smile before turning on her heel and walking towards the back of the throne room, to the doors that led into the palace proper. 

Hubert watched her go, her footsteps echoing through the large empty room. It was easier than looking back to Ferdinand. 

But Ferdinand had never been patient or one to avoid attention. 

“I do not require a response today, you may take your time to think it over,” Ferdinand said, still with his ever present air of confidence, but there was the subtlest hint of a waiver to it. “It appears I have misinterpreted our previous conversation, I hope I have not caused you too much discomfort.”

Hubert took a deep breath and began to descend the steps from his place beside the throne to down where Ferdinand stood. “Yes,” he said with the smallest hint of a nod.

Ferdinand’s eyebrows drew together and he sucked his bottom lip in ever so slightly as always did when he was feeling particularly upset, “well then I apologise, that was not my intent. I only hope-”

“Yes, as in, petition granted,” every step he descended felt harder than the last and yet he couldn’t have stopped if he wanted to, “you may begin a courtship if you wish.”

“With you?” Ferdinand clarified, dazzling smile quickly making a reappearance, brighter than ever. 

Hubert nodded slowly, but Ferdinand seemed to be waiting to hear him say it. “With me, if that is what you want.”

“It is exactly what I want.” 

Ferdinand was always so open with his affections. Hubert thought him a fool for it usually, but right now he wished he could match him. But he could not, so Hubert did his best to keep his features neutral. 

The steps felt both far too many and far too few. The distance between them was so vast and yet they still felt much to close. 

Hubert crossed the finally few steps till he was standing in front of Ferdinand, till he was close enough to see the flush still lighting up his features, softer now that the worst was over. Hubert could feel his own face burning despite his best efforts. 

“I do apologise though, really, if this was not how I should have gone about this.” Ferdinand drew his lip back between his teeth again while he watched Hubert.

Hubert shook his head slowly, this felt somehow harder this close. He hadn’t thought it could get any more difficult. “No, thank you. I am glad you did it this way, I simply did not expect it. This way or any other.”

Ferdinand frowned at that but he did not comment, instead he offered an arm. “It’s about tea time, shall we take it in the gardens?”

A pout marred Ferdinand’s features when Hubert ignored his arm and instead started making his way to the doors, “that would be lovely.”

Hubert could practically hear Ferdinand rolling his eyes as he fell into step beside him.

Ferdinand knocked twice on the door to Hubert’s office.

He didn’t know how but Hubert somehow always seemed to know it was him, no matter what he did. 

He waited for the usual sigh and ‘what do you want now, Ferdinand?’, instead he got a “come in.”

A mere day of courting and how Hubert had changed. 

Or more likely he was still nervous. He had calmed some during their tea yesterday, but he still seemed slightly more on edge than usual. It was to be expected, no doubt this would take some getting used to on both their parts. 

So Ferdinand had done his best to keep to the regular tea time topics and not do anything too far out of the ordinary. 

But that was yesterday and this was today. Ferdinand had never been one to hesitate long before charging head first into battle. This it seemed, was going to go much the same. 

Pushing the door open he wasn’t sure how he expected Hubert to be. Though he shouldn’t have been surprised that it was the same as ever. Hubert at his desk, scrawling on a piece of parchment, not even looking up when Ferdinand entered. 

Ferdinand couldn’t help but smile at that particular scene. 

“I brought you something,” he said, making Hubert look up from his desk, “though you must first promise not to let the Empire fall to ruin if I give them to you.”

Hubert crinkled his nose, looking unimpressed, “flowers?” he eyed the bouquet that Ferdinand knew he was failing to hide behind his back, “that really isn’t necessary.”

“I am courting you, thus, it is very necessary. It would not do to simply express my affection in words, I must court you properly.” Ferdinand said, alight with the determination he always gathered before launching into a short speech. “But do not think I forget about you in the midst of my excitement, not when you are the cause of it.” He drew the bouquet from behind his back, hues of purple and white, that were perhaps not Hubert’s colour scheme but hopefully that he would like none the less. 

And perhaps he did, because his expression softened as he took the flowers from Ferdinand.

“Careful,” Ferdinand warned, “each flower is more poisonous than the last. Though I trust you already know that.”

“Indeed,” Hubert smiled at the bouquet in his hands, “Practical, I needed some more wolf’s bane. Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure, truly, I am just glad you liked them.”

“I do.” Hubert was careful only to touch the wrapping as he placed the flowers aside. “Courtship is not something I have any experience or knowledge of.” He sighed as Ferdinand took to leaning against the desk beside where he sat, providing something of a comfort to his confession. “I know I should reciprocate, I want to, I am simply unsure of how to do that. I fear in this respect I might prove inadequate.”

“I know this is not your area of expertise. I don’t expect you to write me poetry or sing me operas or bury me in flowers.” A gloved hand came to rest atop Hubert’s own, giving it the gentlest squeeze. “I don’t expect courtship to change you. I know what you are like and I promise you, there is nothing inadequate about it.” Ferdinand punctuated the word by picking up Hubert’s hand in his own and pressing a kiss to the back of it. 

Hubert was unsure how to respond for a moment, unused to such unapologetic affections.

Ferdinand seemed to seize his momentary hesitation, examining Hubert gloved hand for a moment, turning it over in his grip. A kiss was placed on Hubert’s palm and then Ferdinand’s nose was pushing back his sleeve until his lips met the bare skin just above Hubert’s wrist. 

Anything he even could have said escaped him in that moment. His breath caught and his eye’s widened. 

Ferdinand’s smile was soft and his eyes lidded as he looked back to Hubert’s face. “See now, that flush on your face says far more than any love letter you could write.” Another kiss was placed on the back of his hand, still gently cradled near Ferdinand’s face. “Though should the mood take you, I would not object to one.”

Hubert stood from his chair, whether to regain more control of the situation or to get closer to Ferdinand, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps both. 

He swallowed as he recovered his voice. “This is what I’m trying to explain, this-” he sighed and glanced away a moment before forcing himself to look Ferdinand in the eye, “I can’t do this for you.”

“Kiss my hand?” Ferdinand punctuated his question with exactly that, the amused smile he wore made the effect more potent if anything. 

“Make you feel like this.” And now Hubert was looking away. Disgusted by his admission. And disgusted by his own disgust at it. Surely Ferdinand deserved more than someone who had to spit out their feelings, let alone someone who could not look him in the eye while they did so. 

“But you do.” Ferdinand gently guided Hubert hand to own neck, dipping beneath his collar and pressing Hubert’s fingers to his pulse. Quick. Insistent. Much like the heartbeat Hubert could feel pounding in his own chest. “I know this does not come easily to you, but that only makes it all the more touching when you try.”

Hubert still wasn’t entirely sure what to say. Ferdinand seemed to expect him to say something though, probably an objection, because he waited and his tongue poked out to wet his lips again, like it had in the throne room when he’d made his petition. Nervous, even now. Somehow that calmed Hubert. 

He slipped his hand around to the back of Ferdinand’s neck, not to push him closer or stop him moving away, Hubert would let him do so if he wished. No, he simply did it to thread his fingers through the cascade of soft hair as he pressed their lips together. 

Perhaps he’d been expecting it, or simply about to do the same. Or maybe time hadn’t crawled as Hubert leaned in and he had truly just been very slow. Because Ferdinand’s lips were parted when he met them.

Soft too. 

And responsive. 

Ferdinand’s hands came to rest on Hubert’s waist, but he didn’t pull him in. He seemed content merely to touch. And Hubert was more than content to be touched. 

Their kiss was short. But the touch and the closeness lingered. 

“I do not want more than you can give,” Ferdinand said, somewhat breathless despite how brief their kiss had been, “whatever you are willing to offer is more than enough.”

“Ferdinand-” Hubert tried to interrupt, but Ferdinand had always been difficult to stop once he got going. 

“Truly, even just this has me feeling a little light headed.” Ferdinand relinquished Hubert to place his hands on the desk behind him, albeit reluctantly, “I fear I may faint.”

“That may be the flowers,” Hubert muttered, eyeing where they sat on the other side of the desk.

“It isn’t,” Ferdinand assured him, from where he lent against the desk. “This is not the first time.”

Hubert wasn’t sure what he’d do if Ferdinand actually fainted. No doubt carrying an unconscious Prime Minister to the infirmary would start some unsavoury rumours. And yet, knowing the risks, still he spoke.

“Ferdinand, what kind of flowers do you like?”

“Really, Hubert, there is no need to-”

Hubert cut off his objection, “I want to.”

Ferdinand did not faint, thankfully. He simply smiled and stood up, still somewhat unsteady. “Whatever you are willing to give.”

Ferdinand crossed the distance between them this time, leaning up to press his lips to Hubert's. 

Hubert did not find that answer very helpful. But he was distracted and he could ask again later.


End file.
